Oops! The President Forgot to Disobey Jesus

Once again, conservatives are “outraged” by something President Obama has done – or rather- has not done. He did not mention God by name in his internet address this Thanksgiving.

A comment by columnist Sherman Frederick of the Las Vegas Review-Journal sums up the hue and cry that ensued:

Holy cow! Is that one screwed up or what?

“Holy cow” is a nice touch, don’t you think? It highlights the sacred cow nature of the complaint.

On the Fox News Radio web site, commentator Todd Starnes put it this way:

His remarks were void of any religious references, although Thanksgiving is a holiday traditionally steeped in giving thanks and praise to God. The president said his family was “reflecting on how lucky we truly are.” For many Americans, though, Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on how blessed and thankful they are.

The London’s Daily Mail took the issue global on its website, under the headline:

What a Turkey! Outrage as Obama Leaves God Out of His Thanksgiving Address.

It wasn’t, strictly speaking, true. Although the president did not belabor the point in his internet address, he explicitly thanked God earlier in the week in his written Thanksgiving proclamation.

Here’s what the president wrote:

As we gather in our communities and in our homes, around the table or near the hearth, we give thanks to each other and to God for the many kindnesses and comforts that grace our lives. Let us pause to recount the simple gifts that sustain us, and resolve to pay them forward in the year to come.

The brouhaha over President Obama’s failure to include an explicitly religious reference in his web address illustrates the shameless way in which conservatives often exploit the name of the Almighty.

The Constitution of the United States seeks to guard against this kind of blasphemy by separating church and state. But that has not prevented the hypocrites from exploiting voters’ most private and sacred beliefs.

Jesus warned us not to emulate these “whited sepulchers.”

He cautioned:

When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites! They love to stand up and pray in the houses of worship and on the street corners, so that everyone will see them. I assure you, they have already been paid in full. But when you pray, go to your room, close the door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what you do in private, will reward you. (Matthew 6: 5-6)

I wonder what He will have to say to the sanctimonious sleazeballs who parade their religiosity in public while committing the grossest iniquities in private?

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About the author

gwgraeme

I am a Jamaican-born writer who has lived and worked in Canada and the United States. I live in Lakeland, Florida with my wife, Sandra, our three cats and two dogs. I like to play golf and enjoy our garden, even though it's a lot of work. Since retiring from newspaper reporting I've written a few books. I also write a monthly column for Jamaicans.com